Weymouth compressor station opponents say battle is not over

Friday

Jun 30, 2017 at 2:29 PMJul 1, 2017 at 8:14 PM

Ed Baker ebaker@wickedlocal.com @EdBakerWeymouth

Algonquin Gas Transmission is withdrawing its plan to have an 11,000 horsepower turbine for a compressor station in the Fore River basin undergo a pre-review process by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, but opponents say the battle against the facility is far from over.

Alice Arena, co-leader of the Fore River Residents Against the Compressor Station, said Algonquin, a subsidiary of Enbridge, is proceeding with its plan to have a 7,700 horsepower turbine for the proposed facility despite its withdrawal of the 11,000 horsepower.

"We are just hoping this puts a more glaring light on the fact that they don’t need the compressor station in Weymouth," she said.

The turbine planned under the Atlantic Bridge project has 7,700 horsepower and an additional 11,000 horsepower turbine was proposed by Algonquin under its Access Northeast project.

Arena said Algonquin’s withdrawal of the Access Northeast project indicates there is no reason for the Atlantic Bridge project and its 7,700 horsepower turbine to be built.

"It will be interesting to see what happens as this moves forward," she said.

Algonquin reported it informed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Thursday, June 28 that it is withdrawing the Access Northeast project from a pre-review process.

"The decision is a direct result of the lack of consistent energy policy across the region that would allow contracting for natural gas pipeline capacity for New England’s generators," said Arthur Diestel, Enbridge’s manager of enterprise public awareness in an email.

Mayor Robert Hedlund said a positive aspect of Algonquin’s withdrawal of having a pre-review of Access Northeast project by FERC is the plan includes a four-mile pipeline that would extend from the compressor station and into Braintree through Pond Meadow Park.

"That is one of the big negative things about this project," he said.

Hedlund said Algonquin could resubmit another plan with one turbine for the proposed compressor station, which would not require the pipeline to be constructed.

"They could come back with another filing," he said. "It could take another form, we don’t know yet. We have a wait and see attitude right now."

Weymouth officials are asking the state Department of Environment Protection to reject Algonquin’s application for an air quality permit because there is no reference to a second turbine in the proposed facility.

State law permits the DEP to deny an air quality permit to Algonquin if the agency deems the facility would pose hazards.

An analysis of the air quality plan by Resource Systems Group, a Weymouth consultant, states the emissions from two turbines would exceed the federal nitrogen dioxide level by over 140 percent than what Algonquin has shown in its model plan.

State Sen. Patrick O’Connor, R-Weymouth, said Algonquin’s withdrawal of the Access Northeast project for a pre-review process is a credit to the hard work by compressor station opponents.

"It is obviously a great battle that has been won, but it is not the end of the war by any end of our imagination," he said. "We tip our hat to the advocates against this project for speaking loudly and this is the direct result."

O’Connor said the effort to stop the compressor station from being built under the Atlantic Bridge project continues.

"We won’t stop until they pull that project out as well," he said.

District 1 Councilor Rebecca Haugh said the ongoing battle against the compressor station includes urging state agencies to not grant air and waterways permits for the facility.

"We know the state Coastal Zone Management office is supposed to make a decision on a waterways permit in mid-August," she said.

Haugh said Weymouth is requesting the state Department of Environmental Protection to reverse its approval of a conditional waterways permit for Algonquin to construct the proposed compressor station.

The town is also asking the DEP to reverse a superseding order of conditions it granted to Algonquin that reversed the WeymouthConservation Commission’s decision to not issue an order of conditions to the firm to construct the compressor station.

Patriot Ledger reporter Jessica Trufant contributed to this report. Like the Weymouth News on Facebook!